This is a family friendly blog for those who love dolls and toys. The blog is a forum for all apsects of doll history, doll collecting, and doll making. It is the first step in creating a nonprofit doll center to educate the public about the historical role that dolls, the oldest human cultural artifact, play in the the lives of people all over the world. All excerpts are the author's intellectual property and may not be reproduced in any means withoutreceiving permission from the author.

My husband led me to a fantastic Victorian doll house yesterday. After we chatted with a great couple who built it, we came home with VanV...

Sand Baby Castaways

Courtesy, Glenda Rolle the Artist

PM Dolls

Leo Moss

German Dolls

Formerly, Aunt Len's.

Beecher Doll

Graces cover of Lenon Hoyte Auction, Aunt Len's

Foreign Dolls

Pryor Collection

Pryor Doll Collection

In Dec. 1959 Natl. Geographic

Great Book

Edward VI's Doll, 1540

Formerly, Helen Moe Doll Museum

Rare "frozen metal doll" Mannikin Pis

Courtesy, eBay Eilleen, Finder 27

Vintage Japanese Doll Joins our Museum Family

Courtesy, Southern Soldier Antiques

Rare Frozen Charlotte Type

A Pageant of Dolls

By Lesley Gordon, 1948

Hong Kong Lili

Barbie Stamp

An early Vintage Barbie

Bild Lili

Zinc Bodied Rohmer

Caused a suit between Mme. Rohmer and Mlle. Huret

Metal Dydee Baby

17th century Lead Dolls

England

Doll Shaped Mold

cf Dolls and Puppets by von Boehn

Metal Head

Probably Minerva

Black Metal Head

Russian Nesting Doll Charm

18 inch Metal Head

Mlle Bleuette

14th C Munich Clay Doll

Used as Bapitsmal Gifts

Halopeau artists rendering

Toy maker

Restored dolls

L to R: All vinyl mid-60s, Ragggedy Ann, handmade, new arms and clothes, Barbie Type as Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia. Black Felt Dress, white silk flowers and ribbons. She is in one piece, but with a swivel waist that does snap in two!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

See below from F. Theriault's discription of an A. Marque doll about to do on auction; starting bid is $150,000.00:
"Item Description:
22" (56 cm.) Bisque socket head with highly-artistic sculpting achieved by a unique four-part mold used only for this doll, heart-shaped face with elongated slender throat, pronounced definition of facial planes especially temple, cheeks and chin line, softly-rounded nose tip, blue glass paperweight eyes with spiral threading and darker blue outer rims, thick dark eyeliner, painted dark curly lashes, brush-stroked and feathered brows, accented eye corners, shaded nostrils, closed mouth with petulantly-shaped outlined lips, well-modeled pierced ears, blonde mohair softly-curled wig, original uniquely modeled body with elongated tapered-shape torso, wide hips, undefined waist, composition upper arms, bisque lower arms with bisque attached-ball-joints at the elbows, separately sculpted fingers, wide upper thighs, elongated lower legs with shapely calves, elongated narrow feet. Condition: generally excellent, left baby finger cleanly reglued at base. Marks: A. Marque (incised signature) 23 (inscribed number on head) Comments: France, circa 1916, the artistic doll was sculpted by the esteemed French artist, Albert Marque, for an exclusive exhibition that was to be presented by Parisian art patron, Margaine-Lacroix in her fashion boutique. The body was exclusively designed for this art doll by Aristodeme Botta who aimed to create a child's body for a doll that "combined the strength and grace typical of that age". It is believed that only 100 models of the Marque doll were created, most inscribed with their particular number in the series, this being #23. Value Points: outstanding beauty of this particular model, with exceptionally fine sculpting detail allowing full expression of the artist's design, very choice delicate bisque and subtle painting, original custom body, and wearing antique silk dress, and lace bonnet that may be original, and muslin chemise and black shoes imprinted with full figure of a doll and "10" that are original. " https://theriaults.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=409&aid=72800&lid=18139076&title=Exceptionally-Rare-French-Bisque-Art-Character-Doll-by-Albert-Marque-150-000-195-000

Monday, November 11, 2013

Today is Veterans Day in the US, and we at the museum thank those who have served and sacrificed for us, including members of our own family. We also thank those who continue to serve all over the world. We fly our flags proudly for you today. This day has been special to me because my mother and I would take the day and have lunch, go shopping, be together. One year, we found an antique show at our mall, and bought a small Bru head with other doll parts, for about $7.50. I was in High School, the same one where she taught. Sometimes, we had long weekends together on trips. I always loved the cool, crisp air, the tree branches veined against the sky. Those days are long gone. We were at the Midwest Modern Language Association this weekend, where I gave a paper for Children’s Literature on Hugo. I will post it here. We toured and took many photos at The Milwaukee Public Museum, haven for those who love dolls, from the detailed European Village, with dolls of each country in each model home, to the antiquities, African masks, Ashanti dolls, and other statutes, to the various miniature dioramas, etc. I will post photos soon of these marvels.
I also stopped at two antique malls, very well stocked, and rich in advertising dolls and memorabilia in South Beloit. We were lucky enough to tour the Angel Museum in Beloit, which was a peaceful, inspirational place. The Oprah Winfrey donation of some 600 angels is on display, along with about 10,000 others. They have special doll collectors days, too. I donated a copy of With Love from Tin Lizzie in memory of my Mom.
Finally, I went to the local doll show, where I sold some books, but also gave a couple as gifts. I saw an Autoperipatetikos in my friend's booth, as well as some great brown haired chinas. I was able to buy some deaccessioned dolls from a museum in Chicago, including a family of African American southern pecan dolls, and some vintage cloth from Panama and elsewhere, and a lovely brown French bisque. Keep watching; photos will be posted soon.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

PS: We would ilke an Edison phonograph, doll, and Vaucanson's duck, too, and The Harpsichord Player and Zula the Snake Charmer. :)
I was rereading one of Pat Smith's excellent price guides on dolls, from the 80s, but with a timeless introduction. Ironcially, her books on modern dolls made them true collectibles, but also spawned price increases and frenzies over some types of modern dolls no one wanted for many years, including old Barbies, Ginnies, Betsey MCalls, hard plastics, certain Alexanders. PS always said in big letters, her prices were GUIDES, determined then by auction prices, condition, scarcity, collector's desire for the doll, etc. In other words, we, the collectors and dealers set the prices. Great; as Adam Smith may have said, let the market bear what it will. Let's buy and trade and have a decent business. My stamp collector friends have knownt his theorem for years. PS also commented on the skyrocketing prices of dolls at this time, wich coincided with CPK insanity. She stressed selling a doll for top dollar should be a rare occurence, as few dolls were woth top dollar. Same was true for buying at top dollar, which if one were cotemplating resale, one could never do. Then, there was the beanie craze,the collector Barbie craze, etc., and G. Mandeville cautioned with other authors not to "speculate" in the doll market. The seconary market was born and thrived, and even parodied re beanies on Third Rock From the Sun. Then, of course, there is Blythe.
Now, we use eBay to gauge prices, as well as auctions, and prices fluctuat widely. I've seen it happening with Living Dead Dolls and other dolls. I saw the "Mona Lisa" Bru listed one year for $18,000, and the same year, in another guide, for $5,000, same condition. Many authors stress that their books are just guides, including R. Lane Herron, Denise Van Patton, Patsy Moyer, Linda Edward, and others.
So, here comes my experiment. I am posting a rescued vinyl baby for our museum for sale, tongue in cheek, of course, for $1million US dollars. I've just created the market; the dolls is hard to find, a foreing vinyl, quickly becoming ephemeral in this throw away world. Any takers? Happy Dolling and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

As long as the big man in the red suit is coming soon, we will continue our museum wishlist. Wishes are, after all free, and sometimes, they make it so. My top wish is for new glasses and for the handles of my current classes to be soldered so I can actually see. Again, Mea Maxima Culpa for the typos. I am wearing "driving" glasses but have to remove them for all else.
I watched the end of American Masters on Jimi Hendrix, and was struck by his well-spoken talk on music, i.e, harmonics, and his passion. He wasn't waht we thought. I was very little when he died, and he died, and lived again, as a myth. The real man was a pleasure to know, and his passion for music shows what passion and love for something good will do for anyone. It doesn't matter if it is dolls, literature, music, teaching, whatever, as Barbara Pym says, the key is to have "something to love." Rest in peace, Jimi, you've inspired a whole new generation of fans.
So, our doll wishlist continues:
1. The Whistling Bru that belonged to a girl the Nazis shot as a spy. She is mentioned and pictured, the doll, that is, in Helen Young's, The Complete Book of Doll Collecting, 1967.
2. Bru Bebe Gourmand and Bebe Teteur
3. An A.T., though we cherish Karin Rosenthaler's local artist reproductions, which starred in the local Festival of Trees
4. A Rouchard head
5. A Waxwork by Madame Tussaud; any retired figure will do, though the "dolls made" through own life to document her growth would be fantastic.
6. A Jointed, ancient, Ivory roman doll, or another Roman rag doll, if extant, and ever available.
7. We have a mini iron maiden; we would like more, and a life sized one as well for our Horror Gallery of spooky dolls
8. The pregnatn doctors lady
9. The witch made of angel hair, like the one in the Wisconsin Dells Ripleys
10. Living Dead Dolls Lizzie Borden
11. Barbie OOAK dolls, or other OOAK dolls
12. The elusive Hanging Mary mechancial toy
13. A china head with sleep eyes, a china head with glass eys and double rows of teeth, formerly in Laura Trewkow collection
14. A catalog of Dorothy Dixon's collection, sold at auction, and one of Maureen Popp's collection sold at auction
15. A doll that belonged to Lenon Hoyte, or photos of Aunt Len's doll museum
16. A Leo Moss original [we have a tiny replica]
17. Any type of Marque or Marque contemporary photos or accessories
18. Antique Greek dolls
19. Antique French bisques or other dolls dressed as Joan of Arc
20. Montanari or Pierotti dolls or figures
11. An anatomical waxwork as featured in Morbid Anatomy blog
12. All bisque dolls, tiny, round a maypole, some with molded blindfolds
13. A replica of Ann Sharp's baby house
14. Rumer Godden's Japanese Doll House and the house from Home is the Sailor, infact, the entire family of her A Dolls House, Home is the Sailor, and A Dolls House
15. Mrs. McAllister's life sized Dick, Jane, and two Sallies, wherever they may be
16. The mail order Titanci Doll, c. 1996
17. We have the dress, but the Truly Scrumptious Doll
18. Twiggy
19. Vinyl dolls made by Sophia Loren's doll company, c. 1975.
20. Princess Christina dolls sold at Bullocks', 1970
21. The SFBJ dolls representing Princess Elizabeth and Margaret Rose with wardrobe
22. The French wax devotiona child featured in Mary Hillier's Dolls and Dollmakers
23. The Scottish shoe doll
24. The zinc bodied Rohmer
25. Thec compelte petite princess doll house with family, Ideal, and the frog house in Flor Gill Jacobs' small Doll Hosues, and the Doll Shop from Mott's Miniatures. Also, the old Mouse Edding vignette and huanted room from The Cranny, now closed, a Joseph Cornell box with dolls,
Enough; we could go on and on and on.......

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Museum, like her sister museums, has a wish list of exhibits and acquisitions. We will be adding to ours as we go, but here are some of our wishes. We also hope for peace in 2014, for happiness, grace, and good health for our families, and for our family of viewers and followers. We love you and are thankful for all of you and you comments. We are nearly 50,000 strong.
Wishlist; we also welcome doll parts, vintage and antique, wax dolls, dolls in all conditions, even the hopeles. We tell the story of dolls from the sublime to the ridiculous.
1. The Metal or Pewter Head Huret
2. Another Huret in any condition, or any Huret items or memorabilia
3. The Huret Book
4. Book series The Collector's Voice
5. The book, On Dolls
6. Luella Hart's publicatons
7. Laurie Partridge doll
8. The Birds Barbie
9. Hugo Man of 1000 Faces
10. The 2013 Barbies
11. A Mason and Taylor Doll
12. A Bunraku puppet
13. Bru Bebe Teteur
14. Bru Bebe Gourmand
15. An early Qheen Anne or Georgian doll
16. Another felt Lenci, any character
17. Hawaiian Shirley Temple
18. The Patti Playpal Family
19. Ideal Tammy Fashions
20. 1979-80 Alien Monster
21. Living Dead Dolls Frozen Charlotte
22. Harriet Hubbard Ayres
23. Dressed Mexican Fleas
24. Kimport Dolls
25. Miss Bolin's Dolls
26. I. Walker doll and Memorabilia
27. A French Fashion Trousseau
28. The Great Man's Doll
29. Anne Rice's Bru
30. Japanese Girl Days Festival